Drum Tao Returns to Penn State with ‘The Best’ Synchronized Percussion Show

Direct from Japan, big-drum percussion ensemble Drum Tao returns to North America with an all-new show, “The Best,” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in Penn State’s Eisenhower Auditorium.

Tickets are $52 for adults, $14 for University Park students and $19 for individuals 18 and younger and are available over the phone at 814-863-0255, in person from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at Eisenhower Auditorium or online. A $4 fee is applied to online purchases only.

Drum Tao is renowned for its dynamic choreography, striking visuals and thunderous rhythms. “The Best” blends traditional wadaiko (Japanese drums) with modern energy and theatrical flair.

Drum Tao shows feature vibrant costumes, dramatic synchronized drumming and unstopping movement with a variety of traditional Japanese instruments, including flutes and harps alongside the massive taiko drums.

In 2016, the ensemble’s Off-Broadway debut sold out and earned the artists accolades. A year later, Drum Tao launched the long-running Tokyo show “Mangekyo.” In 2020, the group opened its new permanent outdoor theater, Tao no Oka, nestled in Aso Kuju National Park.

A definitive Japanese art form, Drum Tao’s achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award, the Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner’s Award, the Outstanding Cultural Achievement Award from Oita Prefecture and the Cultural Creation Award from Taketa City.